Paying college players seen as a complex issue

July 23, 2014

Updated 8:03 p.m.

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Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott expressed his desire to ‘bring college sports into the modern era' during his opening remarks of the 2014 Pac-12 football media days in Los Angeles. BILL ALKOFER, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott expressed his desire to ‘bring college sports into the modern era' during his opening remarks of the 2014 Pac-12 football media days in Los Angeles. BILL ALKOFER, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

PAC-12 PRESEASON POLL

(First-place votes in parentheses)

SOUTH DIVISION

1. UCLA (37) ... 231

2. USC (1) ... 181

3. Arizona St. (1) ... 163

4. Arizona ... 119

5. Utah ... 82

6. Colorado ... 43

NORTH DIVISION

1. Oregon (37) ... 232

2. Stanford (2) ... 192

3. Washington ... 142

4. Oregon State ... 125

5. Wash. State ... 87

6. Cal ... 41

LOS ANGELES – Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott assured reporters Wednesday that “the time has come to make changes and changes are coming.”

“We need to be bold,” he continued.

But for the handful of players who attended the first of two Pac-12 football media days, few expect any sort of bold changes to actually affect their welfare. At least, not any time soon.

“There’s a million issues,” Cal quarterback Jared Goff said. “But I don’t think anything’s going to be figured out to matter for me. It’s just a big, dumb mess.

“There’s two sides to it. There’s the NCAA and there’s the players. There’s no real solving it. I don’t think there’s a perfect solution for both sides. There’s going to have to be some kind of compromise.”

But when?

“Sometime in the next few decades, maybe,” Goff said.

Many players agreed that the NCAA took a step forward in April by allowing schools to provide unlimited meals and snacks. But an equal number expressed indifference to the possibility of reform, citing, like Goff, that they don’t think large-scale changes are on the horizon in the next few years, so why bother even trying to speak out?

In his speech, Scott made sure to outline other changes that he’s hopeful will help “bring college sports into the modern era,” including autonomy for the five major conferences and other minor player-related changes, such as athlete health care reform and increased educational opportunities for players who left school early to play professionally.

But in terms of grand-scale changes to the identity of college sports and amateurism as we know it, Scott, like his fellow commissioners, echoed that any acknowledgment of athletes as university employees would “threaten the existence” of many women’s and Olympic sports. He used the example of Oregon quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Marcus Mariota, who spurned the NFL last season, to illuminate the value of a free Pac-12 education.

Mariota, who took out an insurance policy in case of injury this season, seemed to be on board with that sentiment.

“Getting an education should be sufficient enough for what you do out on the field,” he said.

Other players, while hoping for some sort of compromise, did agree with Scott that being designated as an “employee” might not be the answer.

“As far as being employees, it’s a slippery slope,” Cal defensive back Stefan McClure said. “You talk about being employed, then you have to talk about taxes and all that. … You shouldn’t really worry about it because you’re not going to be able to change it while you’re here.”

“We have a full-time job basically,” added USC defensive end Leonard Williams. “But we signed up for it. We knew what we were getting into.”

Players and coaches did seem to agree on one thing — that the issue is far more complicated than just paying or not paying student-athletes.

“The thing is there are 900 sides to that coin,” Washington State coach Mike Leach said, “and I think that’s the problem right now.”

But from Scott’s side of that coin, where the Pac-12 reported a record $334 million in revenue last year, things are undoubtedly brighter.

For the second season in a row, the Pac-12 media voted UCLA as the favorite to win the Pac-12 South, joining North division favorite Oregon atop the conference's preseason media poll, which was released Wednesday.

A majority of the media (24 of 39 votes) selected Oregon to win this year's Pac-12 conference championship – the fourth time in five years the Ducks have been so chosen.

The Bruins and Ducks both earned 37 first-place votes from the media in their respective divisions. USC and 2013 division winner Arizona State each earned a single first-place vote in the South, while 2013 conference champion Stanford earned two first-place votes in the North.

The Trojans, with new coach Steve Sarkisian now at the helm, were picked to finish second in the South, behind only crosstown rival, UCLA.

NEW PLAYOFF

No one knows exactly what to expect from the new College Football Playoff system, but with more talent in the Pac-12 this year and a tougher non-conference slate than any in recent history, many, including Scott, seem to think that the conference should be “incredibly well positioned” to have at least one team in this year’s inaugural four-team playoff.

“To go through the Pac-12 and win a national championship may be the most difficult (route in college football),” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said.

“I honestly believe our conference is the top,” Mariota added, “so whoever the winner is should have the opportunity.”

DIRECTV BLACKOUT

Don’t expect to see the Pac-12 Networks on DirecTV anytime soon.

Asked for the latest on talks between the conference and the satellite distributor, Scott said: “There is no latest. It’s unlikely under present ownership that they’ll carry us.”

Scott is hopeful that situation will change if AT&T purchases DirecTV. The Pac-12 has a partnership with AT&T, and AT&T U-verse is among the providers that carries the Pac-12 Networks.

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